Heunial truss



' ICE.

JOHN BROILES, OF NEW MARKET, ALABAMA.-

I-IERNIAL TRUSS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 14,440, dated March 18, 1856.

To ail whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BRoILEs, of the county of Madison, in the Stateof Alabama, have invented a new Improvement to prevent the bowels fromdescending through the inguinal or crural canals, or, in other words,for the relief of inguinal or crural hernia; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full and eXact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of referencemarked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the peculiar form of the block ofwood, together with the preparation of the steel ribbon to which saidblock of wood is fastened,

both of which peculiarities combined, most effectually prevents theentrance of the bowels or omentum into the inguinal crural canals,without producing painful pressure, or in the least incommoding thepatient to whom it may be applied, but on the contrary said truss can beworn constantly, day and night, of which I am a witness, having worn onefor eighteen months, being afiicted with inguinal hernia for thirteenyears, and having tried and used many trusses, I could find none thatgave me relief until compelled by necessity invented the one now underconsideration, which truss has never been off my body since it was puton, a period of eighteen months; I can lift heavy lifts, chop with anaXe, ma-ul rails, or do any work necessary on the farm, or swim with iton in water, with perfect ease and comfort to myself; I will furtherstate that I am but a plain farmer.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

I take a piece of steel and draw it out on the anvil in lengths Varyingfrom eight to twenty one inches to suit the size of the patients body,three eighths of an inch wide, and one sixteenth of an inch thick, atboth ends of the steel ribbon, which is hammered wider, a hole ispunched, one to t a screw, and the other a leather strop. The steelribbon is then heated to a uniform red heat and bent on the horn of theanvil in a half circle about one third its length, the ends not beingparallel. The steel is again heated to a uniform red heat, and seizedwith tongs at each end, the left hand seizing the end not bent, andholding it perfectly steady in one position, while the right hand seizesthe other, or bent end, twists the steel toward the body of theoperator. This is to fit the right side of the body, for the left sidethe steel is seized and held in the same position as above described,but the right hand is carried from the body of the operator. The steelthus bent and twisted is again heated to a uniform red heat and thelower edge is flared out to lit the body, the block end or circle end,which is the shortest, is flared out on its upper edge for about twoinches, the strop or straight end is slightly curved upward on its edgeto adapt itself to the superior portion of the sacrum, while the blockend is curved downward and outward on its upper edge, so that it mayaccurately fit the surface of the abdomen, and when adjusted is securelyfixed by the strap and buckle. The steel ribbon in this situation isagain heated to a uniform red heat and covered up in charcoal dust,where it is suffered to remain until perfectly cool. The steel ribbon isnow let into a piece of wood of peculiar form and securely screwed on.This piece of wood is pear shaped, with a slice taken ofl:l commencingat the outer edge of the base or large end and continued to about twothirds its length to the small or stem end forming a broad plane surfacewhich is applied next to the body of the patient. The steel ribbon ismore fully secured to the block of wood by being wrapped with wire. Thewhole surface of th-e block is -then covered with thin sheet lead, aboutone inch from the small end of the block, an on its outed or conveXsurface a small metallic button nail is secured to which the strap fromthe other end of the steel is either buttoned or buckled, the steelribbon is then filed I smooth and its edges rounded, it is then coveredall over with soft leather its whole distance.

The operation of this trussis as follows: IVhen made to suit the size ofthe patient, it is adjusted by first returning the bowels or omentuminto the abdomen, seeing that the canals are perfectly free fromintestines. The block end is then accurately placed over the canal, itslower edge reaching to the end of the hernial sack, and the strap beingbrought around the body and buttoned or buckled to the bottom placed onthe block. If it fits too tight seize the block with the hand and bendout; if too loose press the block in, as there is no temcombination witha pear shaped pad having a slice taken off commencing at the outer VhatI claim as my invention, and deedge of the base and continued to abouttwo sire to secure by Letters Patent, sthirds its length toward theseam, thus l5 per in the steel, this can be easily done, and l 5 Thepeculiar adaptation of the steel rib- I forming' a broad plane surface,to be apwhen so placed it will remain permanent-1y.

bon to the body of the patient by making plied to the body of thepatient. its lower edO'e flared out t-he block or circle end ared otuton its up7per edge for about JOHN BROILES' two inches, the strap endslightly curved /Vit-nesses: 10 upward, and the block end curved down-M. K. TAYLOR, f

ward, and outward on its upper edge, in WV. B. TABER.

